What influence has Ireland at EU level?

[anewbeginning]

Do we have any significant influence on the direction Europe is taking? Do we have influence over the policies of the ECB?

Or do we have any influence over the EU Commission?

And if so, how much influence?

My suspicion is we have very little influence or an influence proportional to our population.

Whereas in Ireland our elected government has 100% influence over economic policy and political policy, at EU level we have very very little influence, an influence diluted by the fact the big boys dictate most things.

It is crucial that we have more influence, influence to ignore certain EU policies which would be bad for us. Mass movement of people is one of these policies. The inability to set our own interest rates is another.

Without influence at EU level we are just being dictated to rather than dictating.

[Bobert]

Last June we brought it to a standstill... That's kinda influential...

[anewbeginning]

We did no such thing...we slowed it down, which might not be a bad thing seeing as it's gradually taking over our lives and is completely intransigent like all big organisations when it comes to dealing with a crisis. The EU has largely been sidelined by the recession as individual states have done their own thing to survive and done things mostly against the rules of the EU, yet if the EU was heeded many states would be in deeper trouble.

[ibis]

The Council is the main decision-making body of the EU,and it operates, as found in many academic studies, by consensus (see here for example). That means EU policies don't go ahead until the Irish government agrees with them, along with everyone else - indeed, it's not dissimilar to Bobert's point.

I'm assuming, of course, that the question is genuine. The problem lies in what our government agrees to, not in what influence they have, and that's a national problem, not an EU one.

[atlantic]

We are a little country of 4 million ,a pimple on the arse of Europe.We have as much power and influence as a bantamweight trying to inflict injury on a heavyweight none.

[Catalpa]

When we joined the EEC in 1973 we were an Equal Member of a Club of Nine.

- and had an influence way above our Economic and Demographic Profile would suggest.

Now we are a very small part of it.

Our influence today is a much more brutally realistic reflection of our relative Economic and Demographic Profile which has shrunk as the EU expanded.

We are one State out of 27 and if it wasn't for our opposition to the Lisbon Treaty I doubt that anyone outside of the Eurocrats & ourselves would be even aware that we were members.

[atlantic]

Spot on Captalpa,we are now a nuisance,and if the EU get their way and our pussy government allow it ,they will kick seven lumps of sh1te of us.

We we joined the EEC in 1973 we were an Equal Member of a Club of Nine.

- and had an influence way above our Economic and Demographic Profile would suggest.

Now we are a very small part of it.

Our influence today is a much more brutally realistic reflection of our relative Economic and Demographic Profile which has shrunk as the EU expanded.

We are one State out of 27 and if it wasn't for our opposition to the Lisbon Treaty I doubt that anyone outside of the Eurocrats & ourselves would be even aware that we were members.

[seabhcan]

Ireland has around 0.8% of the EU's voters. In a democratic EU we would have 0.8% of the power (something like the influence the town of Ennis has over Ireland)

In the current system we have something around 5-6% of the power, many times more than our population would suggest.

If we weren't in the EU, we would have 0% say over what they do, yet their decisions would still have a massive impact on out lives.

[wombat]

We are a little country of 4 million ,a pimple on the arse of Europe.We have as much power and influence as a bantamweight trying to inflict injury on a heavyweight none.

Not true, Europe is like the U.S. Congress, it operates on wheeling and dealing and our politicians and officials are good at it. If you want to see an example of successful deal making & horse trading watch Charlie Wilson's War.

[Catalpa]

Ireland has around 0.8% of the EU's voters. In a democratic EU we would have 0.8% of the power (something like the influence the town of Ennis has over Ireland)

In the current system we have something around 5-6% of the power, many times more than our population would suggest.

If we weren't in the EU, we would have 0% say over what they do, yet their decisions would still have a massive impact on out lives.

Yes but the fact is its still piddle all

- and every time the EU expands it will decline further....

Your argument on the disadvantages of not being a member has some validity but not much.

There is also a counter argument if we strike out on our own or at least opt for a less rigid Association with the EU.

While the EU would still impact on us we would retain our Independence to decide what approach to take towards its Directives.

By staying a member under current terms we are legally obliged to implement its measures once passed

- whether they are to our advantage or not.

That's not Independence.